78 /V THE GUIANA FOREST. 



to attract men are generally given in food and 

 drink ; one is a wild yam, the forked tuber of 

 which may perhaps be compared with the old 

 mandrake which was well known or supposed to 

 promote sexual attraction. 



The woman desires children and has her beenas 

 to promote conception. A pretty one is a bird's- 

 nest fungus, which no doubt is an emblem to her 

 of maternity ; another is a Maranta with a number 

 of offshoots or tubers ; this latter is also a medi- 

 cine after child-birth. 



A woman must not go near to the man's beenas ; 

 it would spoil them altogether did she touch them 

 at certain periods or when child-bearing. A 

 similar notion once prevailed in Europe where 

 medicinal herbs were grown ; their virtues would 

 be affected if a woman stepped over them. A 

 man is not likely to go to the woman's cultivation, 

 and therefore it is not so necessary for her to 

 hide her special beenas. The provision growing 

 is her province, her husband cultivates only his 

 charms. In the opinion of the man, women are 

 fruitful, therefore anything dependent on increas- 

 ing and multiplying must necessarily be in her 

 province. His hunting means death, her cultiva- 

 tion birth. 



We have already seen that dogs are inocu- 



